The story takes place in Iran in the early 1970s. A large traditional family has lived in the house next to the mosque for centuries, taking care of the management of the mosque. Its current head, Agha Jan, is a successful carpet merchant and a prudent and wise man of great reputation in the city and the country. He guides his extended family and community in accordance with the traditional values of Iranian society, but he also knows how to understand the innovations that are penetrating Iranian society. As the political unrest that leads to the revolution intensifies, life changes dramatically for the family. Family members find themselves on different sides of the political spectrum, between supporters and opponents of the regime, Agha Jan is no longer welcomed by his former friends and partners...